Czech Republic - Factors To Watch on Aug 18

                                
 PRAGUE, Aug 18 (Reuters) - Here are news stories, press
reports and events to watch which may affect Czech financial
markets on Tuesday:
                                
 ALL TIMES GMT (Czech Republic: GMT + 2 hours)

=========================ECONOMIC DATA=========================
                                
 Real-time economic data releases....................<ECONCZ>
                                
 Previous stories on Czech data.............[CZ-RTRS-LEN-ECI]
                                
 Overview of economic data and forecasts..........<CZ/ECON15>
                                
 Updates on CEE currencies.............................[CEE/]
                                
 
==========================TOP NEWS============================
                                
 COLD SHOULDER: The main Czech political parties gave the
cold shoulder on Monday to calls by its non-partisan finance
minister for sharp spending cuts and tax hikes needed to avoid a
sharp rise in the budget gap next year.
                                
 Story [ID:nLH490224] Related news [RTRS-LEN-CZ-GVD]
                                
 
                                
 CEE FX SLIDE: The zloty and forint took the brunt of a hit
for central Europe's markets on Monday with the return of risk
aversion, while Hungarian markets already eyed an expected
interest rate reduction due next week.
                                
 Story [ID:nLH378655] Related news [RTRS-LEN-CZ-FRX]
                                
 
                                
 PPI RECORD DROP: Czech industrial producer prices dipped by
0.4 percent in July from June, and showed an annual decline of
4.9 percent, the biggest drop since 1991 when records started.
                                
 Story [ID:nLH310905] Related news [RTRS-LEN-CZ-ECI]
                                
 
                                
 RUSSIAN EXPULSION: The Czech Republic expelled one Russian
diplomat and told another not to come back from holiday due to
suspicions they were spying, news Web site www.idnes.cz said on
Monday, citing unnamed diplomatic sources.
                                
 Story [ID:nLH574201] Related news [RTRS-LEN-CZ-DIP]
                                
 
---------------------- MARKET SNAPSHOT ------------------------
 Index/Crown Currency  Latest    Prev    Pct change   Pct change
                                
                              close   on day       in 2009
 Czech Equities <.PX>    --      1128.7    --           --
 vs Euro   <EURCZK=>   25.675    25.677   -0.01        -4.03
 vs Dollar    <CZK=>   18.186    18.253   -0.37        -4.86
 U.S. Equities <.DJI> 9135.34   9321.4    -2.00         4.09
 Pvs close or current levels vs prior domestic close at 1500

==========================PRESS DIGEST========================
                                
 CEZ TENDER: CEZ <CEZPsp.PR> said 12 firms have already taken
documentation on the tender for construction of new units at
Temelin nuclear power plant.
                                
 Mlada Fronta Dnes, page B2
                                
 
                                
 OIL EARNINGS: Moravske Naftove Doly saw revenue rise to a
record 4.3 billion crowns ($236 million) last year, earning 1.56
billion.
                                
 Mlada Fronta Dnes, page B3
                                
 
                                
 BANKRUPTCY FILINGS: The number of firms and individuals
filing for bankruptcy rose by around three-fourths in the first
half of the year to 2,455.
                                
 Lidove Noviny, page 14
                                
 
                                
 Reuters has not verified the media reports, nor does it
vouch for their accuracy.
                                
    
 For Instant Views of key economic data click on    [CZ/INSTANT]
 For summary of economic data and forecasts          <CZ/ECON01>
 For diary of forthcoming Czech events                [CZ/DIARY]
 For calendar of east European economic indicators  [CONV/DIARY]
 TOP NEWS -- Emerging markets                         [TOP/EMRG]
 TOP NEWS -- Convergence watch                        [TOP/EAST]

 For an economic indicator diary for the euro zone, the United
 States and other Group of Seven countries see         <G7TODAY>

 For real-time stock market index quotes click in brackets:
 Warsaw WIG20 <.WIG20>  Budapest BUX <.BUX>  Prague PX <.PX>

                                
 News editor of the day: Jan Lopatka on +420 224 190 474;
fax: +420 224 229 935
                                
 E-mail: prague.newsroom@reuters.com
  (Compiled by Jason Hovet)